[CBFF] Bears headed in right direction :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Mike Mulligan - Sent Using Google Toolbar

[Victor Waldron]

I know this is funny considering our most recent RB departure, but I'd
like to see a value plus contract for someone like Julius Jones to
compete/complement Benson since it's unlikely we'll find similar
quality at WR. Then we should use one of our first two picks to land
one of the top WRs since the draft is somewhat deep at that position.
We should also try to get one of the mid-tier FA WRs just to have an
extra veteran body in camp, someone who has produced at least a little
at the NFL level.

Finally, sign a veteran (but not too veteran) OT and draft one with
the other of our top two draft picks, plus snag another in the mid
rounds. I think if we do all these things our offense will be a bit
better than last year, nothing earth shattering, but perhaps with the
upside of the draftees we could be pleasantly surprised.

V

On Mon, Mar 3, 2008 at 8:43 AM, Tom Shannon <tshanno at gmail.com> wrote:
> Bears headed in right direction :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Mike Mulligan
>
>
>  Bears headed in right direction
>   Establishing run game more important than overpaying Berrian
>
>
>  March 3, 2008
>  BY MIKE MULLIGAN mmulligan at suntimes.com
>
>  There's a weird sort of Beowulf syndrome that seems to build up around
>  the NFL free-agent market every year where the paying public all but
>  demands a hero be imported to save the day. Success in that venture is
>  deemed to determine the level of commitment the team has to winning.
>
>  It's a kind of score-keeping that's never going to be fair to a team
>  like the Bears, who have adopted a less appreciated philosophy of
>  retaining their own free agents as opposed to bringing in people from
>  the outside. Is it really more significant that the Bears lost wide
>  receiver Bernard Berrian than that they managed to return Lance
>  Briggs? Berrian isn't a bad player, but the Vikings paid him like a
>  great one, making him one one of the top five highest-paid at his
>  position.
>
>  It's a kind of score-keeping that's never going to be fair to a team
>  like the Bears, who have adopted a less appreciated philosophy of
>  retaining their own free agents as opposed to bringing in people from
>  the outside. Is it really more significant that the Bears lost wide
>  receiver Bernard Berrian than that they managed to return Lance
>  Briggs? Berrian isn't a bad player, but the Vikings paid him like a
>  great one, making him one one of the top five highest-paid at his
>  position.
>
>  Briggs, who has made three Pro Bowls -- Berrian never has so much as
>  been an alternate -- returned to the team when it became obvious the
>  market determined the Bears' bid for his services was spot on the
>  money.
>
>  RELATED STORIES BEARS: Surprised Briggs 'happy' with deal
>
>
>  Briggs, who has made three Pro Bowls -- Berrian never has so much as
>  been an alternate -- returned to the team when it became obvious the
>  market determined the Bears' bid for his services was spot on the
>  money.
>
>  Berrian becomes the first free-agent loss for the Bears since Lovie
>  Smith came to town four years ago. He's also the first starter the
>  team has lost -- other than guys they've decided to cut or trade --
>  since Rosevelt Colvin left town after the 2002 season. The rest of the
>  starters to leave the team did so because the Bears opted to cut them
>  -- think Tank Johnson -- or trade them -- whither Thomas Jones.
>
>  In other words, the Bears have done a remarkable job of staying ahead
>  of the curve when it comes to keeping key players off the free-agent
>  market. They've been working ahead in that area for quite a while, and
>  plenty of the moves they've made so far this offseason have been to
>  continue with that strategy. They've signed a pair of quarterbacks --
>  Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton -- extended contracts to Alex Brown,
>  Desmond Clark and Briggs and opened negotiations with guys such as
>  Tommie Harris and Devin Hester.
>
>  They've even gone so far as to listen to the demands of linebacker
>  Brian Urlacher, who has four years left on his deal but believes he
>  has outplayed his contract.
>  More good news than bad
>
>  But alarm about the loss of Berrian, or more specifically concern
>  about who is going to actually play wide receiver, seems to override
>  the good work the team has done thus far in creating stability on the
>  roster. Remember, the Bears reached contract extensions with both
>  Charles Tillman (six years, $38 million) and Nathan Vasher (five
>  years, $28 million) before the start of training camp last year. If
>  both of those guys were on the market this year, things really would
>  have gotten ugly.
>
>  The Bears have three potential starters coming up next year -- Harris,
>  Grossman and kicker Robbie Gould. They're already talking to Harris,
>  Grossman will have to prove something and Gould, no doubt, is next up
>  now that the team has figured out Briggs' deal.
>
>  The major concern at wide receiver is real. It starts with the
>  evaluation process at Halas Hall. How can guys like Bobby Wade and
>  Justin Gage have no value to the Bears only to make good money
>  elsewhere? How do they rate Berrian not worthy of the franchise tag
>  only to see him make a king's ransom. It was hard to argue with the
>  moves, however, at the time they were made. Paying Berrian nearly $8
>  million for next year wasn't going to improve the running game.
>  Running game a priority
>
>  The Bears need major upgrades on the offensive line and a new starting
>  running back if they are going to have any success next year. They
>  seem okay on defense, although another tackle and a safety shouldn't
>  be viewed as indulgent. But the priority has to be fixing the running
>  game. If Berrian was the answer, why wasn't the offense better last
>  year?
>
>  The Bears still have a defense that keyed a Super Bowl run, along with
>  the best special teams in the NFL. Don't worry about their special
>  teams next year -- they lost five key players from the unit last
>  off-season and didn't miss a beat. If they can figure out a way to run
>  the ball, they'll be able to win some games.
>
>  They seem to have a lot of No. 3 receivers right now with Mark Bradley
>  or Hester needing to step up. Restricted free agent Rashied Davis was
>  their third receiver during their Super Bowl run. They are not going
>  to add a No. 1 guy at this point, but a veteran presence coupled with
>  a rookie in the first few rounds, would be good enough to get by
>  providing the running game is there.